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Because the Sean “Diddy” Combs’ intercourse trafficking trial enters its closing weeks, an sudden twist threatens to upend the whole course of.
A number of shops have now confirmed that Juror Quantity 6 has been dismissed by the decide over a residency situation.
Apparently, there have been some inconsistencies with the juror’s remarks about his residency, with him claiming to dwell within the Bronx on one event, and New Jersey on one other.
It’s the type of mundane procedural hiccup that occurs with nearly each trial — however this minor improvement may have main implications.
Sean “Diddy” Combs speaks in the course of the Congressional Black Caucus Basis Annual Legislative Convention Nationwide City Corridor on September 21, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Picture by Jemal Countess/Getty Photos for Congressional Black Caucus Basis)
Diddy’s protection staff continues to name for mistrial
We don’t know a lot concerning the dismissed juror, apart from that he’s a Black male.
And due to his race, Diddy’s attorneys declared final week that if the juror have been to be dismissed, they’d demand a mistrial.
We have no idea the race or gender of the juror who was referred to as in as an alternate, however it appears that evidently Group Diddy is arguing that the brand new jury is extra prone to be racially biased.
Usually, the demand for a mistrial would have little probability at succeeding, and that’s in all probability nonetheless the case right here.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs attends the 2022 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Picture by Amy Sussman/Getty Photos)
However the occasions of Monday afternoon have added new layers of complexity to this example.
A mysterious textual content message ignites a brand new controversy
In line with TMZ, a distinct juror approached the decide in the present day and revealed that they obtained a textual content message from an unknown quantity asking in the event that they have been the juror who was on the verge of being dismissed.
The juror did the proper factor by bringing their issues to the decide, however sarcastically, that transfer may result in their dismissal.
Sources inform TMZ that Decide Arun Subramanian believes that the textual content is perhaps a sign that the juror has been discussing the case outdoors of the courtroom.
Sean âDiddy” Combs performs onstage in the course of the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Competition at T-Cell Enviornment on September 24, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Kevin Winter/Getty Photos for iHeartRadio)
Jurors haven’t been sequestered in the course of the trial, however they’ve been instructed to not talk about the case with outsiders.
If the decide determines this juror violated that rule, then they’ll be dismissed and a second alternate might be introduced in — which may strengthen the protection’s argument for a mistrial.
The chances are nonetheless in opposition to Diddy’s attorneys. In any case, it could take rather a lot for the decide to toss out six weeks’ price of testimony, and juror dismissals are pretty widespread.
However no matter what occurs, the truth that the protection retains turning to the mistrial technique is intriguing.
It might be a sign that they don’t like their probabilities if the jury goes to deliberations on the finish of this month, as is presently the plan.
We’ll have additional updates on this growing story as new info turns into obtainable.
